Nation should be happy that farmers are still at work today

Nation should be happy that farmers are still at work today

The nation need not worry today - the farmers that produce your food and the lion’s share of the nation’s export earnings still got up at the crack of dawn today(Subs July5). While those that work at the Farmers department store, that started as a sears-type mail order catalogue for rural customers, may be on strike today(July 5).

Federated Farmers employment spokesperson Chris Lewis confirmed the nation’s farmers have not walked off the job.

"Having no source of income is a frightening reality - hence farmers work."

Farmers, the department store was founded by Robert Laidlaw CBE. Laidlaw was born in Scotland and emigrated to Dunedin when he was a boy. In Auckland he founded Laidlaw Leeds, a Sears-type mail order catalogue for rural customers.

This later merged with older The Farmers Union Trading Company to become what is now Farmers Trading Company Ltd, the last remaining nationwide chain of department stores in the country.

In all seriousness, we hope both sides of this issue can soon find a middle ground and everything can get back to normal for everyone involved.

"Strikes can be mentally damaging for those involved so during this time we hope everyone keeps an eye on their health."

For context, please see a media release from First Union here which was posted on Scoop.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1807/S00118/hundreds-of-farmers-workers-walk-off-the-job-nationwide.htm
ENDS

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